Assistant Chief James J. O'Malley was part of the fire department two years before the incorporation of the paid department.  He reponded to Box 41 at the corner of Hickory St. and S. Washington Ave.  He was informed that there was a fire on First St. which at that time ran parallel to S. Washington Ave, this street does not exist today.  The fire was clothes burning in a closet of a residence.  He returned to the fire alarm box and reset it sounding the "blown out taps".  It was at this time he began to feel faint, a friend happened to be passing by in his horse drawn buggy and the man took Chief O'Malley to a nearby drug store where a local doctor was called.  James O'Malley slumped to the floor suffering a heart attack and could not be revived.

( Special thanks to Joseph Klapatch for finding this piece of history )

(Photos from the Mark Boock Collection)

(Scans Provided by Joseph Klapatch)